


Tijuana Sunrise

by LightLeadingMe



Category: Will & Grace
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, F/M, Slow Burn, Summer Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 06:37:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16969557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightLeadingMe/pseuds/LightLeadingMe
Summary: AU - Pre-Oringal Series - Jack works at a bar down in Mexico for a summer job and becomes acquainted with one of the regulars.





	Tijuana Sunrise

**Author's Note:**

> Song title and fic based off the song Tijuana Sunrise by Goldfinger.

Twenty-six year old Jack McFarland entered the bar on the beach of Cancun, smiling at his coworkers. It was a hot morning, his tan skin glistening with a light sheen of sweat as he made his way behind the bar to grab his apron. There weren't too many patrons this time of day, but a few regulars were sure to show up sooner rather than later. He was just about to clock in for his shift when a voice called out his name.  
  
"Jack!"  
  
He turned to see his good friend Julio rushing up to him, slightly frantic. "Whoah, what's wrong?"  
  
"You've got to help me," the man pleaded in his thick accent, grabbing on to Jack's arm. "The woman I've been assigned is an absolute witch. She's some rich woman from New York and she is making my life a living hell. I know you usually work the morning shifts, but-"  
  
"Julio," Jack interrupted the man, putting a hand on his shoulder. He could clearly see the distress in his eyes and felt bad. Some of the tourists that came to their resort were downright awful. Julio was a newer employee and Jack didn't want him to get burnt out so quickly. "Don't worry about it. I'll take the afternoon shift."  
  
The young man let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much. I owe you one."  
  
"No worries," Jack grinned, patting his arm. "Did you already talk to Carla?"  
  
"Yes, she told me it was okay with her as long as you were on board."  
  
"Great, is she in her office?"  
  
Julio nodded and Jack thanked him before he made his way to the office at the back of the bar. He knocked and then entered, sitting on the plastic chair in front of the small desk. The chair spun around and a woman in her mid forties raised her eyebrow at Jack. "So I take it you talked to Julio?"  
  
"I did," he smiled. "And I take it you already changed the schedule because you knew I would say yes?"  
  
"Indeed I did." She shuffled a few papers and handed them to Jack across the desk. "You are now assigned to wait hand and foot on Mrs. Delaney. She's a rich bitch from the Big Apple who doesn't take no for an answer and drops at least five hundred bucks on my bar every night. Don't fuck it up."  
  
Jack chuckled and peered at his new schedule. "Cabana Seven," he commented. "How old is this woman?"  
  
Carla shrugged, grabbing a handful of her long blonde hair and twisting it up on top of her head, using a clip to hold it in place. "Young, I think. Julio said she's quite beautiful until she opens her mouth."  
  
Jack pursed his lips and nodded. "Well, guess I better head home."  
  
"Sorry you came all the way in," she frowned. "We tried calling this morning, but you had already left."  
  
Jack waved her off as he stood. "No big deal. I didn't get enough sleep last night anyway. Now I can take a nap before I have to deal with Mrs. Snooty McSnoots."  
  
Carla smiled. "Thanks again, Jack. There will be a shot of top shelf tequila ready for you when you get back later."  
  
Jack left the bar and hopped on his bike. He rode around town, picking up a few groceries and then made his way back home. When he entered the small apartment, the phone was ringing on the wall in the kitchen. He dropped the grocery bags on the counter and grabbed the phone, slightly out of breath. "Hello?"  
  
"Jack!" Came Will's voice on the other line.  
  
"Hey Will, what's up?"  
  
"I was just wondering how Mexico was treating you? Meet anyone yet?"  
  
Jack rolled his eyes. "I told you I'm not down here to meet anyone. I'm trying to find myself."  
  
"Grace thinks you've started a torrid affair."  
  
"Grace also thinks she can pull off the color yellow." He sat at the kitchen table and opened a package of grapes, popping one in his mouth. "Listen, love to chat, but I've got a nap to take."  
  
"A nap? Its nine am."  
  
"What, are you my mother? Gotta go, byeeee!" He hung up the phone before Will could say anything else and stood to put the groceries away. He didn't expect his friends to understand why he suddenly moved down to Mexico for the summer. He had lived in New York his entire life and hadn't found love or success in a career yet. Granted, he was young and had plenty of time, but he wanted new experiences and to meet new people. So, a two week long vacation turned into a month and he honestly wasn't sure when he was going back. The money he made at the bar was decent, though he didn't appreciate getting treated like a servant when it came to certain clients. Mostly he had newlyweds who were more than kind to him and gave generous tips, but there were those few people who saw him as nothing but a personal slave. As he lay down in his bed and discarded his shirt, now damp with sweat, Jack sighed, trying to clear his mind so he could rest before his night shift.

* * *

Two hours later, Jack woke up and decided to hop in the shower before he had to leave. He dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and stepped into his beach sandals, forgoing his light blue button-up shirt until he got to work. When he got there he put a lock on his bike and walked in to see the hustle and bustle of the afternoon patrons. He greeted a few people he became acquainted with during his time working there and made his way behind the bar, slipping his arms through the sleeves of his shirt.  
  
"Jackie-boy!" Carla exclaimed as she came out of her office. She grabbed two shot glasses and filled them generously with tequila. "As promised."  
  
They raised the glasses up and shouted "Salud!" before downing the shots, the many other patrons following suite and taking drinks of their own. Jack grimaced slightly at the strong taste and shook his head. He hated tequila.  
  
"Well," Carla said as she rinsed the glasses. "You ready to face the devil herself?"  
  
Jack's eyebrows raised slightly. "Is she really that bad?"  
  
"She made Julio cry. Twice." She grinned and handed him a drink order. "She's in a hammock a little ways down. Long, dark hair."  
  
With a sigh, Jack grabbed a tray and the drink slip from Carla. "Tequila sunrise," he read aloud. He shared a look with his boss who just shrugged before she pat his back and then walked into her office. Jack made the drink quickly and set it on the tray, receiving a few "good luck" wishes from his coworkers. He walked out of the bar and into the blazing sun towards the beach. He spotted a hammock to the right of the bar and a woman lying back on it, one creamy pale leg dangling off to the side. He cleared his throat and walked closer to her, holding the tray up on his shoulder.  
  
"Mrs. Delaney, I-" His jaw dropped when he realized her upper body was completely bare, her bikini top hanging off a low tree branch.  
  
"Shit, honey!" she exclaimed, scrambling to cover her breasts. "Shouldn't you have a bell around your neck or something, you little perv?"  
  
He held in his laughter, not wanting to offend her even more. "I'm sorry, Mrs-"  
  
"It's Ms, I'm not married."  
  
He was beginning to see why Julio begged him to take his place. She was brash and unapologetic. He kind of loved it. "Ms," he emphasized. "I'm sorry for, uh, well..." He bit his cheek and shuffled his feet in the sand, unsure of how to word his intrusion.  
  
She raised her eyebrow and tilted her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose to look at him, her hand holding a beach towel to her chest. "Staring at my tits?"  
  
"I wasn't staring."  
  
"You weren't looking away either!"  
  
"You realize you're on a public beach," he stated matter of factly, his annoyance increasing. "I can't help it if my eyes are drawn-"  
  
"Aha!" she suddenly exclaimed, pointing at him with her other hand. "You admit you were staring!"  
  
"Can you blame me?" he suddenly laughed.  
  
"Ugh," she scoffed and laid back, adjusting her glasses back in place. "All you men are the fucking same."  
  
He raised his eyebrow at her comment. "Believe me, Ms. Delaney," he said, his voice low. "I have no reason to stare at your breasts other than the fact that they were out and it shocked me."  
  
"So you're gay," she concluded.  
  
He bristled and swallowed loudly. "I didn't say that."  
  
Her grin was wicked. "You didn't deny it either, honey."  
  
Licking his lips, he took a step toward her, lowering the tray down. "I brought your drink."  
  
She slowly reached her hand out to grab the drink off the tray and he stood back up. She craned her neck around him slightly and lowered her sunglasses. "Where is Juan?"  
  
"Julio," he corrected, grinning at her eye roll. "And I've taken his place. He's going to be working the morning shifts and I have the evening schedule so I'll be your cabana boy from now on."  
  
She stared up at him for a moment. "Cabana boy?"  
  
He shrugged. "For lack of a better term, yes."  
  
Slowly, a smile stretched across her lips and she took a sip from her drink. "Whatever, honey. I'll be ready for a refill in about twenty minutes. Don't be late." With that she relaxed back against the hammock and literally shooed him away with a wave of her hand.  
  
Jack rolled his eyes and turned around, a smile of his own covering his lips. This was going to be a very interesting summer.


End file.
